Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird has spent the past couple of years talking about the need to acquire veteran players to speed the team's development.

Bird did that Thursday night, and he accomplished it while also bringing a local standout back home.

The Pacers acquired George Hill, a Broad Ripple High School graduate and former IUPUI star, from the San Antonio Spurs for the NBA draft's No. 15 pick -- San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard -- and the No. 42 pick -- big man Davis Bertans.

The Pacers also gave up the rights to forward Erazem Lorbek, who has been playing in Europe since 2005.

The Pacers used part of the $3.5 million trade exception they acquired in the Troy Murphy deal with the New Jersey Nets last summer to get Hill.

"Very emotional moment right now," Hill wrote on his Twitter page. "But just want to thank everyone for all the support. (San Antonio) has been great to me and will never forget it."

Keeping Leonard, 19, meant the Pacers likely would have had to wait at least a year before he became a regular contributor. He was projected to be a top-10 pick.

The Pacers, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, have spent the past couple of seasons developing players.

Hill, 25, could have an immediate impact with the Pacers.

He wasn't heavily recruited out of high school but went on to become a star at IUPUI and was drafted by the Spurs with the No. 26 pick in the 2008 draft.

"I think it's great for the Pacers, great for George, and ultimately great for IUPUI," IUPUI coach Todd Howard said in a statement released by the school. "He's been an ambassador for our program and it's great that he's going to have the opportunity to continue to showcase his skills in his hometown."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich quickly became a fan of Hill for his work ethic and versatility.

"We can put him at (shooting guard) because he can guard those guys, runs the floor well and he's a good rebounder," Popovich said during a 2009 interview.

Bird has had his eye on Hill since he entered the NBA. Bird talked to the Spurs about Hill during the summer of 2010 before the Pacers traded for Darren Collison.

"We're very pleased to get a player that has NBA experience," Bird said.

"We've been after him for a while. San Antonio always told us they didn't have interest in trading him."

Hill played an important role coming off the bench and starting for the injured Tony Parker at times during his three years with the Spurs.

Hill averaged 11.6 points and 2.5 assists last season for the Spurs.

The addition of Hill will make for interesting competition between him and Collison for the starting point guard position.

Collison started all 79 games he appeared in last season and was never threatened after T.J. Ford was demoted by former coach Jim O'Brien.

Hill averaged 14.8 points and 3.6 assists in 55 starts, compared to 8.4 points in 176 games off the bench in his career.

Hill, like Lance Stephenson, can play both guard positions.

"It'll be good competition, which will only make us better," Collison said during a phone interview. "He's a very good defender and he can play both guard spots."

Hill's defensive ability means the Pacers no longer have to assign Paul George to defend point guards.

Hill's addition likely signals the end of A.J. Price's time with the Pacers.

The Pacers will have to improve their frontcourt depth once free agency starts after an expected NBA lockout.

The part about how Hill will allow George to not guard pg's excites me. I mean it was just a few years ago Hill really flustered Kobe Bryant in the playoffs. Also now DC doesn't have to be a liability if he is not scoring and playing poor defense now we have a great backup.

rexnom

06-24-2011, 06:34 AM

Hill would certainly have changed some things for us in that Chicago series. Good guy to have in a decade that will feature lots of Derrick Rose.

ilive4sports

06-24-2011, 06:44 AM

Imagine if we were able to have Hill on Rose and George on Korver/Bogans in the playoffs. I don't think those guys would have hit as many threes.

PacersRule

06-24-2011, 07:01 AM

Speaking of Hill as an Indiana native player, I wonder if it'll have any effect on the attendance next year..? I'll be waiting for a report by Scot Pollard;)

wintermute

06-24-2011, 07:33 AM

I don't see Hill as challenging DC for the starting point guard job. Frankly we don't have enough playmaking in the starting lineup as it is.

I expect Hill to be the main scorer off the bench. In fact I'm predicting a breakout year for him scoring wise, and perhaps he'll be the closer that we've been looking for. I could see finishing games in place of either Collison or Paulie G, depending on who's playing better.

In the longer term, he could be a good pairing with Lance. Lance has PG skills in a SG body, with Hill it's the other way around.

I think Rush is gone for sure. Not so sure about Price though. IMO Hill's PG skills are still a work in progress.

Within 15 seconds of entering Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, George Hill had made his first basket. After 35 seconds more, he had made another. Minutes later, Hill was in the midst of a full-blown explosion, as he dropped a pair of pull-up three-pointers, hit a short jumper, and then successfully executed the patented, controversial “rip move” to earn three foul shots and pull off an 11-2 run all on his own. Toss in an extra basket and a technical free throw, and Hill concluded his six-minute stint in the first quarter with 16 points and spotless shooting from the field and the free throw line.

That kind of burst is exactly what makes Hill fascinating to some, confounding to others, and occasionally infuriating to those who understand and appreciate his scoring capability. Such a showcase has simply been uncharacteristic of Hill’s N.B.A. career, though hardly because of a lack of talent; Hill has come to embody San Antonio role player deference, and while that respect for the Spurs’ pecking order is surely appreciated, Hill is considerably more gifted than the specialists who typically fill minutes alongside Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

Hill has the potential for much more than players in the Roger Mason Jr.-Brent Barry-Michael Finley mold. He needn’t confine himself to the perimeter, nor attempt to be wholly accommodating to his high-profile teammates. More than any other contemporary Spur role player, Hill is in a position to force his own way; not only is he talented enough to provide another dimension to San Antonio’s offense, but Hill has also been given Gregg Popovich’s blessing (via Jesse Blanchard of 48 Minutes of Hell):

“We’re trying to get him to the point where every time he steps on the floor he knows that he’s a heck of a player, that we want him to be aggressive and that he has the green light to do that and be a scorer,” Popovich said. “It’s just a process. He’s a young guy and a respectful guy who defers and wants everybody to be happy. In an ironic sort of way, we’re trying to get him to be more selfish.”

Popovich believes in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before him. It has eluded Hill, but that’s no matter—tomorrow he will run faster, stretch out his arms farther…And then one fine morning—

When playing with the Spurs’ stars, Hill plays within his conception of a particular role. He largely sinks into the corner to await spot-up opportunities, making occasional plays and hitting shots when the ball swings his way. That’s not enough, at least in Popovich’s estimation. Clearly, San Antonio -– one of the top teams in the league this season on offense -– doesn’t need Hill to be an amazingly productive scorer to find offensive success, but why shouldn’t the Spurs strive for the actualization of an underused weapon? Any burden that Hill can lift from Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker is unquestionably helpful to the team’s overall performance, and adding a more dynamic Hill would only make the Spurs’ offense flow even more freely.

Regardless of the role that Hill believes he is playing for the Spurs, he can’t elect to mute his own scoring potential. Obviously there’s room for discretion, but universal deference isn’t helping his team produce nor is it aiding in his development as a player. Shooting from the corner isn’t the be-all, end-all for a player of Hill’s caliber. It’s a valuable skill, sure, but spacing the floor is no reason to disregard intuitive scoring instinct. Hill is a natural, an athlete, and has a silky jumper on which to rely. He won’t take the world by storm if he chooses to be more assertive, but Hill could very well make one of the league’s top offenses even better with his potential to score both inside and out, all while distracting opponents from his ever-potent star teammates.

For that to happen, Hill needs to step out of his trained role with San Antonio and back into himself. His maturation with the Spurs provides an invaluable infrastructure in which to access his greatest talents, but it’s still Hill’s original allure as a scorer that makes him so intriguing today (via 48MoH):

“[Popovich] needs me to be the Indiana George, the Indiana George that played in high school and college,” Hill said. “In high school and college I’d have 25-point halves, so I should try to relive the dream I guess.”

Hill is right in a sense, but Popovich simply desires the best of both worlds: a self-aware scorer who fully understands his role within the team concept and when those limitations no longer apply to him. It’s a change in approach that only Hill can make. So he beats on, boat against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Kraft

06-24-2011, 08:25 AM

Tell me the last ripped line in the Times article isn't for real.

Sparhawk

06-24-2011, 08:37 AM

Speaking of Hill as an Indiana native player, I wonder if it'll have any effect on the attendance next year..? I'll be waiting for a report by Scot Pollard;)

No, I'm sure most casual fans won't remember who Hill even is. I guess this could start the beginning of the grassroots campaign to get all Indiana players back to Indiana. Need to get JJ, Gordon, Oden, etc.

Sparhawk

06-24-2011, 08:39 AM

Tell me the last ripped line in the Times article isn't for real.

I just read that. :laugh:

Ozwalt72

06-24-2011, 09:10 AM

The part about how Hill will allow George to not guard pg's excites me. I mean it was just a few years ago Hill really flustered Kobe Bryant in the playoffs.[/QUOTE]

Given Hill guards ones and twos effectively, we can not only have George focus on wings, but if the need arises, for example; we can throw George on Rose and have Hill closing out on Korver.

So much flexibility with this addition.

McKeyFan

06-24-2011, 09:23 AM

Will someone please tell me what IUPUI is?

PacerGuy

06-24-2011, 09:30 AM

Will someone please tell me what IUPUI is?

Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis

Reginald

06-24-2011, 09:31 AM

Will someone please tell me what IUPUI is?

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Enrollment 30,000+. Third largest public university in the state after IU and Purdue.

McKeyFan

06-24-2011, 09:33 AM

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Enrollment 30,000+. Third largest public university in the state after IU and Purdue.

Thanks. Never freaking heard of it.

Anthem

06-24-2011, 10:01 AM

Pronounced oo-ee-poo-ee.

MagicRat

06-24-2011, 10:11 AM

George Hill will be on 1070 The Fan with Grady and Big Joe sometime during the 11 o'clock hour.

(snipped)
The fact Hill was traded to the team that plays in his hometown was no consolation. One of the most affable of Spurs was not up to speaking to the reporters he always accommodated, win or lose, hero or goat.

“He is real emotional right now,” said his agent, Michael Whitacre.

Trading Hill wasn’t easy for Gregg Popovich and Buford, either. The GM called Thursday “one of the most difficult nights in Spurs history since we’ve been here.”

Early in Hill’s second season, Popovich declared Hill his new favorite player, a sobriquet he previously had applied to Rasho Nesterovic. This was partially facetious, but Popovich sincerely appreciated Hill’s grit and willingness to work.

Popovich had declared the 2009 playoffs were “not for George,” then gave him significant playing time when Hill showed fortitude while some teammates shrank under pressure.

Hill developed so much in his second season, some called Parker expendable. So when rumors began circulating this week that the Spurs were talking to teams about moving Hill, player personnel experts for other teams wondered why.

Popovich and Buford didn’t like Hill any less. Trading him hurt, and the deal wasn’t about getting rid of him. Rather, it was about adding Leonard, and the fact they traded up in the draft for the first time in the Popovich era should be a clue about their opinion of a player who had better become Popovich’s favorite sooner than later.

RLeWorm

06-24-2011, 10:22 AM

so who is going to start? I think they should battle it out, I'm not sure if one is that much better than the other but they are both good. Does this mean Lance is playing the 2?

Derek2k3

06-24-2011, 10:53 AM

so who is going to start? I think they should battle it out, I'm not sure if one is that much better than the other but they are both good. Does this mean Lance is playing the 2?

From what I can tell, GH is a 2 with solid ball handling skills. So, DC + GH is more likely.

Unless Lance really shows something, its hard to believe he's going to get very many minutes, with PG, DC and GH splitting 96 minutes/game. Even if PG takes 5-10 min/game from DG, you're talking 106 minutes/game, 35 Min/player. That leaves little to go around in the backcourt, except maybe garbage time.

Obviously, if Lance dominates in practice, gets his head on straight, there may be more minutes in there. Whole lotta ifs for a guy who is largely a question mark.

MillerTime

06-24-2011, 11:00 AM

I think Collison will be traded before Price.

Collison will have more trade value than Price. I think we should package up Collison and Rush (theyre both pretty young still) and get a quality scorer off the bench

PacerPenguins

06-24-2011, 11:02 AM

They're available now at @TheFieldhouse and coming soon on PacersGear.com RT @PatrickRSebanc When will George Hill jerseys be available?!

just some news on george hill jerseys... im gonna go buy one..

Eddie Gill

06-24-2011, 11:07 AM

George Hill will be on 1070 The Fan with Grady and Big Joe sometime during the 11 o'clock hour.

I just turned it on. They're playing a Paul George interview from last night's draft party. Just said "Danny's known as being a lazy dude, but this summer he's working".

NuffSaid

06-24-2011, 11:12 AM

I don't see Hill as challenging DC for the starting point guard job. Frankly we don't have enough playmaking in the starting lineup as it is.

I expect Hill to be the main scorer off the bench. In fact I'm predicting a breakout year for him scoring wise, and perhaps he'll be the closer that we've been looking for. I could see finishing games in place of either Collison or Paulie G, depending on who's playing better.

In the longer term, he could be a good pairing with Lance. Lance has PG skills in a SG body, with Hill it's the other way around.

I think Rush is gone for sure. Not so sure about Price though. IMO Hill's PG skills are still a work in progress.
Honestly, it could go either way.

If Bird thinks the Pacers still need a "true" PG at least as a 3rd string player, he'll keep Price and trade BRush. That would likely keep Lance Stephenson in the developmental stage for another year. But, if he thinks Lance can fill the backup PG role and wishes to unleash George Hill at SG and let Paul George back him up, he'll let Price and BRush walk. I think Bird will go with the latter.

MagicRat

06-24-2011, 11:15 AM

I just turned it on. They're playing a Paul George interview from last night's draft party. Just said "Danny's known as being a lazy dude, but this summer he's working".

I was just coming back to post that very thing!

"He's lookin' real good. Danny is typically known for being a lazy dude, but this summer, man, he's gettin' after it. So that's huge for this team, for Danny to take this summer so serious. A guy who has that game already, to try to take his game to another level is huge for the team"

NuffSaid

06-24-2011, 11:17 AM

I think Collison will be traded before Price.

Collison will have more trade value than Price. I think we should package up Collison and Rush (theyre both pretty young still) and get a quality scorer off the bench
WHAT? Are you crazy, man?! No way will Bird trade Collison. Bird may have sought Hill over Collison before and went with Collison because he couldn't pry Hill from the Spurs, but Collison was also someone Bird wanted badly. I seriously doubt he'd trade him after just acquiring him last year and seeing what the kid brings to the hardwood.

Collison has nothing but an upside to his game; very few flaws. Outstanding potential. Odds are totally against a Collison trade. Price and BRush, yes. Collison, no way!

Brad8888

06-24-2011, 11:31 AM

No link provided!

Edit: To repost what Wintermute had already posted earlier and that I requoted from his post, therefore not realizing that a second identical link would be required

Within 15 seconds of entering Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, George Hill had made his first basket. After 35 seconds more, he had made another. Minutes later, Hill was in the midst of a full-blown explosion, as he dropped a pair of pull-up three-pointers, hit a short jumper, and then successfully executed the patented, controversial “rip move” to earn three foul shots and pull off an 11-2 run all on his own. Toss in an extra basket and a technical free throw, and Hill concluded his six-minute stint in the first quarter with 16 points and spotless shooting from the field and the free throw line.

That kind of burst is exactly what makes Hill fascinating to some, confounding to others, and occasionally infuriating to those who understand and appreciate his scoring capability. Such a showcase has simply been uncharacteristic of Hill’s N.B.A. career, though hardly because of a lack of talent; Hill has come to embody San Antonio role player deference, and while that respect for the Spurs’ pecking order is surely appreciated, Hill is considerably more gifted than the specialists who typically fill minutes alongside Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

Hill has the potential for much more than players in the Roger Mason Jr.-Brent Barry-Michael Finley mold. He needn’t confine himself to the perimeter, nor attempt to be wholly accommodating to his high-profile teammates. More than any other contemporary Spur role player, Hill is in a position to force his own way; not only is he talented enough to provide another dimension to San Antonio’s offense, but Hill has also been given Gregg Popovich’s blessing (via Jesse Blanchard of 48 Minutes of Hell):

“We’re trying to get him to the point where every time he steps on the floor he knows that he’s a heck of a player, that we want him to be aggressive and that he has the green light to do that and be a scorer,” Popovich said. “It’s just a process. He’s a young guy and a respectful guy who defers and wants everybody to be happy. In an ironic sort of way, we’re trying to get him to be more selfish.”

Popovich believes in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before him. It has eluded Hill, but that’s no matter—tomorrow he will run faster, stretch out his arms farther…And then one fine morning—

When playing with the Spurs’ stars, Hill plays within his conception of a particular role. He largely sinks into the corner to await spot-up opportunities, making occasional plays and hitting shots when the ball swings his way. That’s not enough, at least in Popovich’s estimation. Clearly, San Antonio -– one of the top teams in the league this season on offense -– doesn’t need Hill to be an amazingly productive scorer to find offensive success, but why shouldn’t the Spurs strive for the actualization of an underused weapon? Any burden that Hill can lift from Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker is unquestionably helpful to the team’s overall performance, and adding a more dynamic Hill would only make the Spurs’ offense flow even more freely.

Regardless of the role that Hill believes he is playing for the Spurs, he can’t elect to mute his own scoring potential. Obviously there’s room for discretion, but universal deference isn’t helping his team produce nor is it aiding in his development as a player. Shooting from the corner isn’t the be-all, end-all for a player of Hill’s caliber. It’s a valuable skill, sure, but spacing the floor is no reason to disregard intuitive scoring instinct. Hill is a natural, an athlete, and has a silky jumper on which to rely. He won’t take the world by storm if he chooses to be more assertive, but Hill could very well make one of the league’s top offenses even better with his potential to score both inside and out, all while distracting opponents from his ever-potent star teammates.

For that to happen, Hill needs to step out of his trained role with San Antonio and back into himself. His maturation with the Spurs provides an invaluable infrastructure in which to access his greatest talents, but it’s still Hill’s original allure as a scorer that makes him so intriguing today (via 48MoH):

“[Popovich] needs me to be the Indiana George, the Indiana George that played in high school and college,” Hill said. “In high school and college I’d have 25-point halves, so I should try to relive the dream I guess.”

Hill is right in a sense, but Popovich simply desires the best of both worlds: a self-aware scorer who fully understands his role within the team concept and when those limitations no longer apply to him. It’s a change in approach that only Hill can make. So he beats on, boat against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
I was going to selectively bold parts of this, but virtually the entire thing applies in my opinion --Does this article remind anyone else of Brandon Rush?

And, if so, is that the reason that the Spurs finally decided to let him go?

CooperManning

06-24-2011, 11:32 AM

Seems like the only way Collison could get dealt is if someone offered us a really good 4/5 for him. But if you survey the league, most teams don't need point guards and the ones that do don't have much to offer back. I think Collison will be sticking around, which is fine with me.

jcouts

06-24-2011, 11:55 AM

I would personally just like to see Collison moved to the second unit. I really like the idea of being able to put Hill on starting point guards and having him serve as a facilitator with the first unit.

When I go down through the list of projected starting point guards for next year, outside of Ty Lawson and Brandon Jennings, and maybe DJ Augustin, I can't really find any other point guards in the league that I'd rather have Collison guarding than Hill at the start of the game. I'm sure there's someone I missed, but those three were about the only ones that jumped out at me.

redfoster

06-24-2011, 12:07 PM

Pronounced oo-ee-poo-ee.

No.

PacerPenguins

06-24-2011, 12:09 PM

I was going to selectively bold parts of this, but virtually the entire thing applies in my opinion --Does this article remind anyone else of Brandon Rush?

And, if so, is that the reason that the Spurs finally decided to let him go?

not at all

CableKC

06-24-2011, 12:20 PM

Pronounced oo-ee-poo-ee.
Isn't that some hawaiian dish?

Sandman21

06-24-2011, 12:23 PM

Thanks. Never freaking heard of it.

It also has what some would say the dubious honor of being the closest Division 1 school to the NCAA National office..... Next door.:D

v_d_g

06-24-2011, 12:37 PM

I don't get it. MUCHO excitement about a guy who's not exactly a household name in the NBA. A useful player but certainly not even remotely a STAR. In fact, he doesn't even START on a majority of teams in the NBA. But it's a party here and I'm even reading about how he can become out CLOSER. :laugh:
This speaks to the quality of our present CLOSER (This is not to say that we even have anyone remotely resembling a true closer.) Of course, typical of this forum, many are focusing on his defensive skills. You can play all the defense you want, but, as was shown in this year's playoffs, when a team gets HOT there's nothing a defense can do about it. Of course, why in the world would TPTB ever focus on getting some players who can actually SCORE the ball.

Let's put this in perspective: Fernadez is going to have a more significant impact with the Mavericks, BECAUSE HE CAN MAKE SHOTS -- more specifically, CAN CREATE HIS OWN SHOTS-- than Hill will with the Pacers. Bet they're as ecstatic about Fernandez over at the Mav's forum as the masses are about Hill over here. :rolleyes:

Hill will be just another guy on a team that can't score at crunch time.

Bet the SPURS figure they got over real good with this one. To think, they were sweating losing Parker. They were that desperate.

Hicks

06-24-2011, 12:40 PM

Pronounced oo-ee-poo-ee.

Which never made sense. How the hell do you gett oo-ee from frickin' IU? If anything it's ee-oo, not oo-ee, but don't let the facts get in the way of a silly nickname, I guess.....

Hicks

06-24-2011, 12:42 PM

I just turned it on. They're playing a Paul George interview from last night's draft party. Just said "Danny's known as being a lazy dude, but this summer he's working".

That's... interesting...

CooperManning

06-24-2011, 12:43 PM

I don't get it. MUCHO excitement about a guy who's not exactly a household name in the NBA. A useful player but certainly not even remotely a STAR. In fact, he doesn't even START on a majority of teams in the NBA. But it's a party here and I'm even reading about how he can become out CLOSER. :laugh:

Which household name/star/closer would you have taken at #15 overall?

bphil

06-24-2011, 12:46 PM

Which never made sense. How the hell do you gett oo-ee from frickin' IU? If anything it's ee-oo, not oo-ee, but don't let the facts get in the way of a silly nickname, I guess.....

I think "oo-ee-poo-ee" came from the same place the word "hoosier" came from.

Hicks

06-24-2011, 12:47 PM

Of course, typical of this forum, many are focusing on his defensive skills. You can play all the defense you want, but, as was shown in this year's playoffs, when a team gets HOT there's nothing a defense can do about it.

Were you ever the GM of the Phoenix Suns by any chance?

Look, offense beats defense when they are equal, but unless your team plays some damned good defense, your opponent won't even NEED to get hot to beat you. It's the frickin' NBA. You have to be a good defensive team to seriously have a chance at winning anything worth a damn. The Pacers were not set defensively. We needed more defense. Hell, we STILL need more defense (front court).

Having defenders like Hill, George, Rush??, and Jones is a good start for the backcourt, and Tyler and Roy aren't bad defensively, but we won't be in business until we add someone really good at D at the 4.

Hicks

06-24-2011, 12:47 PM

I think "oo-ee-poo-ee" came from the same place the word "hoosier" came from.

Someone's ***? Figuratively speaking, of course. ;)

Trophy

06-24-2011, 12:48 PM

The fact that he's a hometown favorite is probably what triggered Bird's attention the most and of course more importantly, we needed him.

He's the combo guard, leading player we can really use. We really needed someone to man up on the defensive end other than Paul and we got him.

Though he's really a SG in a PG's body. His numbers aren't really that of a PG, but I think spot up minutes there would be good.

I'm thrilled with this trade all in all.

I really hope he doesn't disappoint. DC got my hopes up really high when we got him, but I think George, coming from the Spurs and played a ton of minutes, being a huge impact, I think he'll be solid.

Derek2k3

06-24-2011, 01:51 PM

I don't get it. MUCHO excitement about a guy who's not exactly a household name in the NBA. A useful player but certainly not even remotely a STAR. In fact, he doesn't even START on a majority of teams in the NBA. But it's a party here and I'm even reading about how he can become out CLOSER. :laugh:
This speaks to the quality of our present CLOSER (This is not to say that we even have anyone remotely resembling a true closer.) Of course, typical of this forum, many are focusing on his defensive skills. You can play all the defense you want, but, as was shown in this year's playoffs, when a team gets HOT there's nothing a defense can do about it. Of course, why in the world would TPTB ever focus on getting some players who can actually SCORE the ball.

Let's put this in perspective: Fernadez is going to have a more significant impact with the Mavericks, BECAUSE HE CAN MAKE SHOTS -- more specifically, CAN CREATE HIS OWN SHOTS-- than Hill will with the Pacers. Bet they're as ecstatic about Fernandez over at the Mav's forum as the masses are about Hill over here. :rolleyes:

Hill will be just another guy on a team that can't score at crunch time.

Bet the SPURS figure they got over real good with this one. To think, they were sweating losing Parker. They were that desperate.

And, the fact that he got more playing time in the playoffs than expected a couple seasons ago simply because he stepped up when Parker and others shrank means he will wilt in crunch time?

And you think a player that gets so pissy about playing time that he threatens to leave and play in Spain will be happy on a Mavs team that could have 2 or 3 players in front of him?

C'mon. George Hill isn't Chris Paul, but look what was given up. Sure, Kawhi could end up being a very good player, but we are set at the 3. Not to mention, Hill fits nicely with our team, and Bird was able to acquire him without giving up a single piece of the team that finished the second half of the season over .500 and pushed a Bulls team in every game of that series, up until game five.

Bird was able to add a quality player with a skill set that fits the Pacers, while still maintaining flexibility to swing trades for top talent.

Oh, and god forbid that Pacer fans get excited about a trade for a guy that has contributed for 2-3 years on a championship level team :rolleyes:

SMosley21

06-24-2011, 02:17 PM

Random, but check out this tattoo that Hill got just a few weeks ago.

http://c0013779.cdn1.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/x2_6257754

Scot Pollard

06-24-2011, 02:42 PM

No, I'm sure most casual fans won't remember who Hill even is. I guess this could start the beginning of the grassroots campaign to get all Indiana players back to Indiana. Need to get JJ, Gordon, Oden, etc.

I'm not trying to call you out or say you are not a knowledgable fan just because you live in Atlanta, but you are 100% wrong.

I go to the IUPUI campus for business meetings and marketing purposes once in a while. They still love George Hill. He hasn't been forgotten. Maybe if he wasn't very good and in the NBA wasn't very good then he'd be forgotten about, but he's the opposite.

Heck even when we played the Spurs, a handful of IUPUI fans showed up to see him.

I was happy we got George for the way he plays alone excluding the fact that he's a born and raised Hoosier.

He's gotta feel extremely honored and happy. Playing for the team he grew up watching. I'm happy for him and happy for Indy and the Pacers most of all.

Getting George alone is going to shoot up in attendance (now I'm 100% convinced). More importantly George is a good player and we will probably see more wins which is the icing on the cake and is what will really lure the fans back. Additionally, we got everyone's attention because of making the playoffs.

We were at the Fieldhouse draft party last night. We were impressed with how many people showed up this year as opposed to the past. Fortunately we got our passes when we did.

CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT SEASON!

We can finally kiss the sea empty seats goodbye and enjoy some good Pacers basketball again!

The Fieldhouse is where it's at Indy! :dance::dance::dance:

righteouscool

06-24-2011, 02:43 PM

That's... interesting...

For many reasons. One, if he has never really worked that hard and still improved to the point he has what could he have been if he just worked a little harder on his ball handling?

And two, it's funny to me how much being in the playoffs can do for a player. I'm sure the excitement of the playoffs is what might of "pushed" him to work harder.

ECKrueger

06-24-2011, 02:44 PM

Why do people want to trade Collison because of Hill? KEEP BOTH. I would 10x rather have DC/GH than GH/AJ get rid of Rush or Dahntay if needed and sign a decent PF.

righteouscool

06-24-2011, 02:54 PM

Why do people want to trade Collison because of Hill? KEEP BOTH. I would 10x rather have DC/GH than GH/AJ get rid of Rush or Dahntay if needed and sign a decent PF.

Because people expected Collison to walk in and play like Chris Paul. He's a second year guard. I don't understand why people want to trade him after 2 years in the league with barely anytime to sit and from a consistent coach. Besides, playing Hill and Hansbrough on the bench is a killer bench that will destroy most second units.

ECKrueger

06-24-2011, 03:02 PM

Because people expected Collison to walk in and play like Chris Paul. He's a second year guard. I don't understand why people want to trade him after 2 years in the league with barely anytime to sit and from a consistent coach. Besides, playing Hill and Hansbrough on the bench is a killer bench that will destroy most second units.

Thank you. Just because we have two good PGs does not mean we need to trade one. It is ok to have depth. Collison can still be a very good player too.

mildlysane

06-24-2011, 04:50 PM

I don't get it. MUCHO excitement about a guy who's not exactly a household name in the NBA. A useful player but certainly not even remotely a STAR. In fact, he doesn't even START on a majority of teams in the NBA. But it's a party here and I'm even reading about how he can become out CLOSER. :laugh:
This speaks to the quality of our present CLOSER (This is not to say that we even have anyone remotely resembling a true closer.) Of course, typical of this forum, many are focusing on his defensive skills. You can play all the defense you want, but, as was shown in this year's playoffs, when a team gets HOT there's nothing a defense can do about it. Of course, why in the world would TPTB ever focus on getting some players who can actually SCORE the ball.

Let's put this in perspective: Fernadez is going to have a more significant impact with the Mavericks, BECAUSE HE CAN MAKE SHOTS -- more specifically, CAN CREATE HIS OWN SHOTS-- than Hill will with the Pacers. Bet they're as ecstatic about Fernandez over at the Mav's forum as the masses are about Hill over here. :rolleyes:

Hill will be just another guy on a team that can't score at crunch time.

Bet the SPURS figure they got over real good with this one. To think, they were sweating losing Parker. They were that desperate.
Are you saying that Rudy is a better player than Hill? You really don't mean that, do you? Have you seen them both play? Have you seen their stats? I hope you didn't mean it.

Kemo

06-24-2011, 05:03 PM

nice tat

Eleazar

06-24-2011, 06:35 PM

It also has what some would say the dubious honor of being the closest Division 1 school to the NCAA National office..... Next door.:D

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone all of the benefits we get by being next door. I like being able to personally influence the NCAA. How do you think our football team has been undefeated since 1969? :champions

hehehehehehehehe

Sparhawk

06-24-2011, 07:24 PM

I'm not trying to call you out or say you are not a knowledgable fan just because you live in Atlanta, but you are 100% wrong.

I go to the IUPUI campus for business meetings and marketing purposes once in a while. They still love George Hill. He hasn't been forgotten. Maybe if he wasn't very good and in the NBA wasn't very good then he'd be forgotten about, but he's the opposite.

Heck even when we played the Spurs, a handful of IUPUI fans showed up to see him.

I was happy we got George for the way he plays alone excluding the fact that he's a born and raised Hoosier.

He's gotta feel extremely honored and happy. Playing for the team he grew up watching. I'm happy for him and happy for Indy and the Pacers most of all.

Getting George alone is going to shoot up in attendance (now I'm 100% convinced). More importantly George is a good player and we will probably see more wins which is the icing on the cake and is what will really lure the fans back. Additionally, we got everyone's attention because of making the playoffs.

We were at the Fieldhouse draft party last night. We were impressed with how many people showed up this year as opposed to the past. Fortunately we got our passes when we did.

CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT SEASON!

We can finally kiss the sea empty seats goodbye and enjoy some good Pacers basketball again!

The Fieldhouse is where it's at Indy! :dance::dance::dance:

I said casual fans. There are more casual fans than there are true fans to the Pacers. But you are correct, I haven't lived in Indy for a few years, so perhaps I'm wrong. I would think a guy like Eric Gordon and Oden would probably resonate more with casual fans than Hill.

LeeTheG7

06-24-2011, 07:24 PM

Because people expected Collison to walk in and play like Chris Paul. He's a second year guard. I don't understand why people want to trade him after 2 years in the league with barely anytime to sit and from a consistent coach. Besides, playing Hill and Hansbrough on the bench is a killer bench that will destroy most second units.

Well I think Collison will be the one on the bench. George Hill is just as good offensively and better on defense. I don't mind having Collison as a back but I think a lot of people think he might be a valuable trading piece for one of our needs like PF.

BBQ

06-24-2011, 07:36 PM

That's... interesting...

Yeah I'd sure like to hear A LOT more about that, especially given Danny's play the past 2 years compared to his All Star year.

clownskull

06-24-2011, 08:23 PM

The fact that he's a hometown favorite is probably what triggered Bird's attention the most and of course more importantly, we needed him.

He's the combo guard, leading player we can really use. We really needed someone to man up on the defensive end other than Paul and we got him.

Though he's really a SG in a PG's body. His numbers aren't really that of a PG, but I think spot up minutes there would be good.

I'm thrilled with this trade all in all.

I really hope he doesn't disappoint. DC got my hopes up really high when we got him, but I think George, coming from the Spurs and played a ton of minutes, being a huge impact, I think he'll be solid.

no, i saw birds press conference and he said although hill being a local kid is nice, it was because they believe he will be able to help the team more than for his local roots. i believe larry on this. getting a local kid might help briefly in terms of ticket sales however, unless it helps make them a better team, that bump in ticket sales will quickly fade.
i definitely think this was about getting a younger player with solid NBA experience who can help us with some of the bigger point guards out there like rose.
a local kid can help with sales but, it is long term winning that will keep the fans returning.

Trophy

06-24-2011, 08:31 PM

no, i saw birds press conference and he said although hill being a local kid is nice, it was because they believe he will be able to help the team more than for his local roots. i believe larry on this. getting a local kid might help briefly in terms of ticket sales however, unless it helps make them a better team, that bump in ticket sales will quickly fade.
i definitely think this was about getting a younger player with solid NBA experience who can help us with some of the bigger point guards out there like rose.
a local kid can help with sales but, it is long term winning that will keep the fans returning.

No I know.

What I meant was the fact that he's a hometown favorite and being available were brightsides that caught Bird's attention.

I know Bird's really liked his game and for that that's why he's a Pacer now.

The fact that's he's a hometown kid is kind of a bonus.

Scot Pollard

06-24-2011, 09:07 PM

I said casual fans. There are more casual fans than there are true fans to the Pacers. But you are correct, I haven't lived in Indy for a few years, so perhaps I'm wrong. I would think a guy like Eric Gordon and Oden would probably resonate more with casual fans than Hill.

I agree with that and there are more casual fans these days here in Indy.

Guys like Eric Gordon and Greg Oden are franchise players and leaders in the NBA (at least a healthy Oden probably could've been). They are pretty well known nationwide.

However, within Indy, George Hill is very well known. Not as good as Eric Gordon, but still a guy who can play a big role in helping us win. That's what casual PACERS fans really want.

The fact that he's from Indy is going to get I'd say about 1000 more season tickets sold and the next 1000-2000 on average will be purchased to see the Pacers because of making the playoffs and getting more attention or whatever.

...This is really hard to explain and that's really all I'm going to say and can say.

We shall wait and see.

Still going to be even better for the attendance for George Hill being an Indy standout alone and he's a decent player and we're coming off a playoff season.

I still stand by my prediction in attendance average. 16000+ (19th or so in the league).

Will Galen

06-24-2011, 09:33 PM

No I know.

What I meant was the fact that he's a hometown favorite and being available were brightsides that caught Bird's attention.

Hill probably did catch Bird's eye when he played in Indy, but being a hometown favorite probably didn't cut any ice with Bird. As for being available, from what I've read Hill wasn't available, but the Pacers have been asking about him for two years so San Antonio needing to get younger finally did the trade.

Trophy

06-24-2011, 09:54 PM

Hill probably did catch Bird's eye when he played in Indy, but being a hometown favorite probably didn't cut any ice with Bird. As for being available, from what I've read Hill wasn't available, but the Pacers have been asking about him for two years so San Antonio needing to get younger finally did the trade.

Yeah exactly.

I don't think he was initially available at all, but the Spurs knew we really wanted him so they kept an ear open this year once we gave up Kawhi Leonard and what not.

Bird's been watching him since he played at IUPUI I'm sure and has followed him into the league and really liked what he's seen and wanted him, but knew the Spurs really liked him a lot so we went with DC in last year's PG search.

Finally we got him for some draft rights. It took our draft picks to get him so Bird really likes him and what's not to like? He's the type of combo guard we've been in need of.

It also says a lot for a coach like Pop whose been in the league for so long to feel that George was his favorite player on a team that had Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, etc.

Pacersalltheway10

06-24-2011, 10:42 PM

Hill kind of reminds me of Shaun Livingston after his injury.

Eleazar

06-25-2011, 01:47 AM

I agree with that and there are more casual fans these days here in Indy.

Guys like Eric Gordon and Greg Oden are franchise players and leaders in the NBA (at least a healthy Oden probably could've been). They are pretty well known nationwide.

However, within Indy, George Hill is very well known. Not as good as Eric Gordon, but still a guy who can play a big role in helping us win. That's what casual PACERS fans really want.

The fact that he's from Indy is going to get I'd say about 1000 more season tickets sold and the next 1000-2000 on average will be purchased to see the Pacers because of making the playoffs and getting more attention or whatever.

...This is really hard to explain and that's really all I'm going to say and can say.

We shall wait and see.

Still going to be even better for the attendance for George Hill being an Indy standout alone and he's a decent player and we're coming off a playoff season.

I still stand by my prediction in attendance average. 16000+ (19th or so in the league).

I agree that Hill is better known in Indy than some people are giving him credit for, but 1000 season tickets! I hope you mean total tickets(even though that might be underestimating) and not ticket holders? I could see it adding a 100 to 200 tickets per game, but not much more. I know people still remember him, I hear someone mention him every few weeks during the NBA season, but he isn't the kind of player that will bring in a lot of new ticket sales. I imagine the vast majority would be from IUPUI fans (there aren't a lot), friends, family, and maybe some people from his high school. It might be enough for a small boost, but I don't think the boost you are talking about is realistic.

pacer4ever

06-25-2011, 01:50 AM

Hill kind of reminds me of Shaun Livingston after his injury.

he literally plays nothing like Shaun Livingston IMO and that is a good thing he is quick and dynamic not slow and nonexplosive like post injury Shaun.